Stand for a sanitary vessel

ABSTRACT

A BEARER CRADLE FOR A SANITARY VESSEL SUCH AS A BATHTUB COMPRISING A ONE-PIECE RIBBED ELEMENT HAVING ALTERNATE LOWER AND UPPER HOLLOW RIBS. THE LOWER BOLLOW RIBS HAVING BEARING SURFACES TO REST ON A BASE, AND THE UPPER HOLLOW RIBS HAVE CONCAVE SURFACES SUPPORTING THE BOTTOM   OF THE VESSEL AND MATCHING AND FITTING THE ROUNDED PORTIONS AS WELL AS THE CURVATURES ALONG AT LEAST A PART OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE BOTTOM.

l.1. J. o. R. ROLAND A STAND FOR A SANITARY VESSEL med June 2e, 1969 JACQUES JEAN OLWIER RAYMONDRULAND INVENTOR www@ -ArToRNEYs United States Patent O 3,561,019 STAND FOR A SANITARY VESSEL Jacques Jean Olivier Raymond Roland, 2 Avenue Bel Air, Brussels, Belgium Filed June 26, 1969, Ser. No. 836,925 'Claims priority, application 3)Igxernbourg July 1, 1968,

Int. ci. 41k 3/00 U.S. Cl. 4--186 16 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE My invention relates to a stand or cradle for a sanitary vessel such as a bathtub which extends beneath the vessel.

A variety of kinds of stands have been suggested: they are in use with sanitary vessels like bathtubs, having relatively thin walls. These vessels, having relatively thin walls, for example produced by a stamping or drawing operation on panels, possess localised areas of lesser strength as follows:

yIn the rounded portions formed at the corners of the bottom of the vessel, between this bottom and the sidewalls of the vessel;

In the bent portions for connection of the bottom and of the lateral walls of the vessel;

IIn the actual bottom of the vessel; and

At the top of the vessel, in its peripheral portion forming an overhanging iiange.

These areas of lesser strength should be reinforced, as a rule, by subsequent application of one or more layers of consolidating substance, after the operation performed, for example by stamping, on a panel intended for production of the vessel. This results in an appreciable loss of time during production of the vessels, as well as in a substantial consumption of material.

These vessels, like a bathtub, are very frequently of the bare type. Consequently, it is necessary to complete these by means of side panels which are made from a separate production line and require adjustment during installation.

Perfect stability and excellent thermal insulation are also required for sanitary vessels like a bathtub, for example.

For its part, the stand or cradle itself should be produced easily and quickly, and be of very lightweight and nonmassive structure, which nevertheless offers satisfactory rigidity for fitting and complete reinforcement of the areas of lesser strength of the aforesaid vessels.

The bearer cradles of a sanitary vessel like a bath-tub should thus comply with a definite number of criteria to be advantageous technically and economically.

Bearer cradles or frames of a variety of types have been suggested. These cradles are commonly heavy, massive, solid, of complex structure, produced in the form of several components having a relatively imperfect thermal insulation or they imperfectly perform their dual stabilising and reinforcing functions for the areas of lesser strength of the vessel. If one or other of these bearer cradles can eventually offer one of the aforesaid advantages, each one has a certain number of inconveniences and no one of them fulfill all the aforesaid requirements at the same time and simultaneously.

3,561,019 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 ICC The object of the present invention is to create a bearer cradle which simultaneously fulfils all the technical requirements and economic conditions set forth above.

To this end, the bearer cradle according to the invention is characterised in that it consists of a ribbed onepiece element of double profile, possessing alternate hollow ribs, the lower hollow ribs having supporting surfaces which may or may not be situated in a horizontal plane, in such manner as to bear on the floor or on any other base. The hollow upper ribs have concave supporting faces supporting the base of the vessel andmatching and fitting the rounded off parts formed at the corners of the bottom of the vessel between this bottom and the side walls of the vessel as well as the curved portions thereof. The bearer cradle forms thus a peripheral buttress or abutment for the sanitary vessel at the lower part of the same.

The aforesaid or rubbed bearer cradle according to the invention can be produced for example by a single stamping operation on a plate.

The bearer cradle, posessing alternate hollow ribs according to the invention, may advantageously be ribbed in such manner that the concave support faces match and fit the rounded off portions and the connecting curves at least as far as the springing line of the lateral surfaces of the vessel.

The bearer cradle, possessing alternate hollow ribs acoffers the advantage that it is possible, with great flexibility and precision, to adjust the amplitude of the difierent hollow ribs in height as well as in width, and to vary their number according to the degree of rigidity required for the vessel. Accordingly, it is thus permissible to produce bearer cradles, for example in the form of a stamped out plate, this plate having consequently its thickness reduced to a minimum by bringing into play the combination of the above mentioned elements. This results in minimum consumption of raw material, in a speedup in the rate of production, and in employing presses of considerably lower power for example.

The bearer cradle according to the invention having hollow and alternate ribs, moreover advantageously renders it possible, in combination with the vessel itself and the floor or any other support, to form individual and fractional pockets of air offering excellent thermal insulation.

Another feature of the bearer cradle having hollow and alternate ribs according to the invention is that it may be produced by a single operation, for example by a stamping operation on a deformable plate, and that it forms a one-piece sealed bearer cradle, its production being simplified considerably.

These features as well as other advantages and features of the present invention will emerge from the following description, from the accompanying figures and from several forms of embodiment of the bearer cradle according to the invention this description and these drawings being given by way of example not limiting the scope of the invention.

These examples of embodiment are shown in the accompanying drawings which show, respectively:

FIG. 1: a view in partially cut away perspective of a first form of embodiment of a bearer cradle according to the invention, supporting a bathtub;

FIG. 2: a cross section of a first modified form of the bearer cradle illustrated in FIG. 1

FIG. 3: a cross section of a second modified form of the bearer cradle illustrated in FIG. l.

In these figures, the same reference numerals denote identical elements.

According to a first form of embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a bearer cradle 1 of a vessel 2, for example a bathtub, consists of a ribbed element 3, having hollow alternate ribs 4, 6, 9. The double profile has hollow support ribs 4 situated in a horizontal plane and resting on the oor, and hollow concave ribs 6 for support of the base of the vessel. In addition it includes hollow concave ribs 9 matching and fitting the rounded portions formed at the corners 7 of the vessel in its lower part as well as the connecting curvatures 10 of the base 5 and of the lateral sides 8 of the vessel 2, in such manner as to possess a peripheral buttressor abutment for the lower part of the vessel. The hollow alternate ribs offer great rigidity despite their great lightness as well as satisfactory stabilisation for the vessel at its lower part, and may be modified and adjusted in number and amplitude, length and height, with flexibility and precision.

The bearer cradle having alternate hollow ribs, in combination with the floor and the vessel, forms fractional air pockets 16, providing excellent thermal insulation.

It is moreover possible to position an insulating pad (see FIG. 3) between the bearer 1 and the bathtub 2 to complement this thermal insulation and also intended to absorb the noise caused 'by the descent of a liquid into the vessel.

For example, the ribbed element 3 forming the bearer 1, consists of synthetic material.

According to a first modification of this first form of embodiment of the bearer cradle according to the invention, illustrated in FIG. 2, the bearer cradle is ribbed in such manner that it has a shoulder 11 at its peripheral part. This shoulder is intended to act as a bearer for the finishing panels 12 of the Vessel 2. These panels 12 rest on the shoulder 11 of the bearer cradle 1 and are secured to the top flange 13 of the vessel 2.

According to a second modification of the first form of embodiment of the bearer cradle according to the invention, shown in FIG. 3, a one piece bearer cradle is ribbed complementarily to the vessel 2 and comprises finishing panels like panels 12 for the vessel 2.

On the other hand, this second modified form is advantageously ribbed in such manner that the bearer cradle 1 has an undercut step 14 along at least part of the periphery of its base, leaving room for the feet.

The bearer cradle according to this second modified form is particularly advantageous apart from the advantages it already possesses by virtue of the principle of embodiment of FIG. 1: it represents a harmonious combination moreover, which in conjunction with a vessel like a bathtub forms a complete light and uniform assembly, which is sealed, ready for its normal use, without having to resort to intermediate working or operation of assembling and adjusting, such as those corresponding to the panels and their installation and adjustment. Moreover, the bearer cradle has a peripheral abutment 17 matching the external overhanging flange at the top of the vessel.

This upper peripheral abutment 17 not only renders it possible to omit the subsequent reinforcement of this area of lesser strength, but even to reduce the initial thickness of its raw material. This upper peripheral abutment, in combination with the lower peripheral abutment, ensures perfect stabilisation of the vessel thus grasped and held by its base as well as by its top, preventing any tilting of the vessel.

Another advantage of the bearer cradle according to the embodiment of FIG. 3 is that it allows of its production by a single operation, for example by a stamping operation on a deformable plate and that it forms a one-piece sealed bearer cradle, its production being simplified considerably.

The bearer cradle according to FIG. 3 is also particularly advantageous in the sense that it simplies the problems involved in storage, transport and assembly. In point of fact, thanks to the pleasing combination of the vessel and of the bearer cradle embodied according to the invention, these are installed and assembled by simple insertion. This operation may thus be performed at the last moment, that is to say at their place of destination and by an unskilled worker and in a very short time.

On the other hand, it is possible to store and ship the vessels nested one in the other, and the bearer cradles nested one in the other. In point of fact, a definite taper may be wrought on the ribs and sides of the bearer cradle so that these may be nested. Storage and shipping are thus possible in smaller spaces desipte the relatively substantial volume occupied separately by each vessel and by each bearer cradle.

The onepiece bearer cradle according to FIG. 3 may easily be produced, for example by a stamping operation on a deformable plate of metal, or of synthetic material for example. It is evidently possible to employ other techniques or other materials for the production of the bearer cradle, which equally offers a substantial advantage.

The bearer cradle of the present invention thus simultaneously and altogether complies with all the technical and economic requirements cited in the foregoing in respect of the bearer cradle itself as well as of the sanitary vessel, moreover forming an attractive combination with the sanitary vessel their production and assembly being simplified considerably.

It is evident that the present invention is not limited to the forms of embodiment described hereinabove and illustrated in the accompanying figures. Numerous modifications may be wrought therein without thereby exceeding the scope of the invention and of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a sanitary vessel like a bathtub having a bottom, lateral sides, rounded portions at the corners of said bottom and curvatures between said bottom and said lateral sides, a bearer cradle extending beneath said bottom and said vessel and possessing a peripheral buttress for said bottom, said rounded parts and said curvatures, the said bearer cradle consisting of a doubleprofile one piece ribbed element having alternate lower and upper hollow ribs, said lower hollow ribs having bearing surfaces to rest on a base, while said upper hollow ribs have concave surfaces supporting said bottom of the vessel and matching and fitting said rounded portions as well as said curvatures along at least a part ol' the periphery of said bottom.

2. A bearer cradle according to claim 1 characterized by the amplitude in width and height of the alternate hollow ribs as well as the number of the said ribs being variable.

3. A bearer cradle according to claim 2, for a sanitary vessel like a bathtub characterized in that it consists of a one-piece ribbed element having alternate lower and upper hollow ribs, said lower hollow ribs having bearing surfaces to rest on a 'base while said upper hollow ribs have concave surfaces supporting said bottom of the vessel and matching and fitting said rounded portions as well as said curvatures along at least a part of the periphery of said bottom, thus possessing peripheral buttress or abutment for said bottom of the sanitary vessel.

4. The combination according to claim 2 in which the base is a floor-base.

5. A bearer cradle according to claim 2, in which said peripheral buttress matches and lits said rounded portions at said corners and said curvatures, at least up to the springing line of said lateral sides of said sanitary vessel.

6. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 wherein separate and fractional pockets of air for thermal insulation are formed between said supporting base and said sanitary vessel.

7. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 comprising a shoulder constituting a support at the periphery of said cradle for at least one lateral finishing panel for said vessel.

8. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 comprising an insulating pad between said cradle and said vessel.

9. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 comprising a peripheral abutment for complementary reinforcement and stabilisation tting the overhanging flange of the upper part of said vessel.

`10. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 wherein said alternate hollow ribs are extended at their periphery by lateral panels.

11. A bearer cradle according to claim 10 in which said alternate hollow ribs and said lateral panels consist of a one-piece unit.

12. A bearer cradle according to claim 11, characterized in that it forms a complete nesting arrangement by insertion with the vessel.

13. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 the provision 14. A bearer cradle according to claim 2 in which said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,695,256 11/1954 De Olloqui et al 4--173 10 2,697,231 12/1954 Strand 4-173 2,784,417 3/1957 Strand 4-173 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner alternate hollow ribs and said lateral panels have a taper 15 J. H. DODGE, Assistant Examiner allowing the bearer cradles to be nested in each other. 

